Deployment of threat agents poses significant risks to both human and economic health. The risk is compounded by a limited ability to detect the deployment of these agents. Prior art detection strategies rely on separate instrumentation for detection and identification of the threat agent. Conventional means to identify a threat agent include wet chemical methods or spectroscopic methods. Reagent-based identification of biological threat agents includes methods such as specific antibodies, genetic markers and propagation in culture. While highly specific, these identification methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive and costly.
Spectroscopic means, for identification, provide an alternative to reagent-based identification methods and include mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), and imaging spectrometry. Mass spectrometry is limited by sensitivity to background interference. Infrared spectroscopy holds potential for quickly scanning a region of interest to identify unknown materials. Raman spectroscopy is a good candidate for detection of threat agents based on its ability to provide a molecular “fingerprint” for materials. With high specificity, Raman spectroscopy can be implemented in several different configurations, including normal Raman spectroscopy, UV resonance Raman spectroscopy, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and non-linear Raman spectroscopy.
Spectroscopic imaging combines digital imaging and molecular spectroscopy techniques, which can include Raman scattering, fluorescence, photoluminescence, ultraviolet, visible and infrared absorption spectroscopies. When applied to the chemical analysis of materials, spectroscopic imaging is commonly referred to as chemical imaging. Instruments for performing spectroscopic (i.e. chemical) imaging typically comprise an illumination source, image gathering optics, focal plane array imaging detectors and imaging spectrometers.
In general, the sample size determines the choice of image gathering optic. For example, a microscope is typically employed for the analysis of sub micron to millimeter spatial dimension samples. For larger objects, in the range of millimeter to meter dimensions, macro lens optics are appropriate. For samples located within relatively inaccessible environments, flexible fiberscope or rigid borescopes can be employed. For very large scale objects, such as planetary objects, telescopes are appropriate image gathering optics.
For detection of images formed by the various optical systems, two-dimensional, imaging focal plane array (FPA) detectors are typically employed. The choice of FPA detector is governed by the spectroscopic technique employed to characterize the sample of interest. For example, silicon (Si) charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors or CMOS detectors are typically employed with visible wavelength fluorescence and Raman spectroscopic imaging systems, while indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) FPA detectors are typically employed with near-infrared spectroscopic imaging systems.
Spectroscopic imaging of a sample can be implemented by one of two methods. First, a point-source illumination can be provided on the sample to measure the spectra at each point of the illuminated area. Second, spectra can be collected over the entire area encompassing the sample simultaneously using an electronically tunable optical imaging filter such as an acousto-optic tunable filter (“AOTF”) or a LCTF. This may be referred to as “wide-field imaging”. Here, the organic material in such optical filters are actively aligned by applied voltages to produce the desired bandpass and transmission function. The spectra obtained for each pixel of such an image thereby forms a complex data set referred to as a hyperspectral image (“HSI”) which contains the intensity values at numerous wavelengths or the wavelength dependence of each pixel element in this image.
Spectroscopic devices operate over a range of wavelengths due to the operation ranges of the detectors or tunable filters possible. This enables analysis in the Ultraviolet (“UV”), visible (“VIS”), near infrared (“NIR”), short-wave infrared (“SWIR”), mid infrared (“MIR”) wavelengths and to some overlapping ranges. These correspond to wavelengths of about 180-380 nm (UV), 380-700 nm (VIS), 700-2500 nm (NIR), 900-1700 nm (SWIR), and 2500-25000 nm (MIR).
While normal Raman spectroscopy has demonstrated adequate sensitivity and specificity for detection of airborne matter, other forms of Raman spectroscopy suffer from inadequate sensitivity, specificity or signature robustness. LIBS is also a good candidate for detection of threat agents based on its ability provide an elemental “fingerprint” for materials with high sensitivity. Prior art imaging spectroscopy is limited by the need to switch from a broadband light source, for optical imaging, to a substantially monochromatic light source for spectroscopic imaging. This results in delay and inefficiency during detection during which the sample may degrade.
There exists a need for accurate and reliable detection of a variety of agents including but not limited to biological, chemical, explosive, hazardous, concealment, and non-hazardous. There exists a need for a system and method that can detect and unknown material in a region of interest and interrogate the unknown material to thereby identify it as a known material.